Humid air press plate conditioning apparatus for printing press



June 1 1, 1963 Filed July 51. 1961 W. C. HUEBNER ETAL HUMID AIR PRESS PLATE CONDITIONING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jun 11, 1 3 w. c. HUEBNER ETAL 3,093,067

HUMID AIR PRESS PLATE CONDITIONING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESS Filed July 31, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I EH39 84 --w J 75 77 Z25 36 79 79 ll 1 42:}; 12% I g a '76"- 1 F F6593 J n 1963 w. c HUEBNER ETAL 3,093,067

HUMID AIR PRESS PLATE CONDITIONING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESS Filed July 51. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 11, 1963 w. c. HUEBNER ETAL HUMID AIR PRESS PLATE CONDITIONING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 31. 1961 ATTORNEYS June 11, 1963 w. c. HUEBNER ETAL 3,093,067

HUMID AIR PRESS PLATE CONDITIONING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 31, 1961 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,093,067 HUMID AIR YRESS PLATE CUNDlTKtBNENG AFFA- RATUS FUR PRINTING FRESS William C. Huebner, Mamaroneek, and Joseph Knnicki, Brookiyn, N.Y., assignors to Advanced Graphics, Ina, Iirooidyn, NY.

Filed July 31, 1961, Ser. No. 128,257 11 Claims. (Cl. 101-147) This invention relates to apparatus for moistening air with water vapor or other liquids or solutions and for directing the air thus treated to the surface of a printing plate having hygroscopic areas. This application relates to subject matter such as disclosed in my application, Serial No. 795,211 filed February 24, 1959, now Patent No. 3,025,789, issued Mar. 20, 1962, for supplying moisture to a printing plate such as disclosed in my other application No. 790,586, filed February 2, 1959, now Patent No. 3,035,635.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an efiicient and reliable apparatus for supplying moisture to a monosurface printing plate from humidified air without depositing on the plate any moisture in liquid form.

Another object is to provide appartus of this kind of improved construction :for applying humid air equally to all parts of the plate. It is also an object to provide means for regulating the distribution and quantity of humidified air to the printing plate as may be required due to varying atmospheric conditions or to the nature of the printing.

A further object is to withdraw excess humidified air from the vicinity of the printing plate and to condense the moisture in such air for reuse in the apparatus.

It is also an object to provide an apparatus in which certain salts may be supplied to the printing plate independently of the amount of humid air required.

Another object is to provide means of improved construction for providing salt particles to a current of air for deposit on parts of a printing plate.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention and showing the same applied to a printing machine partially diagrammatic.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are respectively a front elevation and a top plan view thereof on an enlarged scale partially diagrammatic.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof on line 4-4.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the part of the machine shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view partly in section on line 6-6, FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a sectional elevation thereof on line 77, FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation thereof on line 8-8, FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevation thereof on an enlarged scale on line 99, FIG. 8.

FIGS. 10-and 11 are respectively a fragmentary elevation and a top plan view of a construction for further effecting a uniform distribution of air to all parts of the printing plate.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are respectively a side elevation and a cross section along 1313 of FIG. 12 of amodified air distribution control means.

My improved apparatus may be mounted in any desired relation to a printing press and in the construction shown it is mounted directly on a side of the printing press in advance of the inking roller. .15 represents the frame of the printing press having a printing cylinder 16 journalled thereon. My apparatus extends completely across the printing roller to project treated air to all "ice parts of the printing plate mounted on the cylinder 16. This apparatus includes a control housing 17 and a dispenser :18 having an are shaped perforated discharge opening arranged in close proximity to the printing plate to dispense humidified air to the printing plate. This dispenser 18 is mounted on a table or plate 19 on which it may be moved from its operative position shown in full lines in FIG. 1 to a Withdrawn position shown in broken lines, and into intermediate positions. The apparatus also includes a pair of tanks 20 and 21 which maye be positioned on the floor adjacent to the printing press on a base 24, and which are connected with my improved apparatus by suitable tubes or conduits.

25 represents a vacuum pump or other air moving device also mounted on the base 24 and driven by means of a motor 26 and having an inlet duct 28 suitably connected by means of flexible hose or other conduits with a discharge duct 29 leading from the dispenser 18. The vacuum pump 25 may be of any suitable or desired construction, and the discharge from this pump passes into a conduit 30 leading to the upper portion of the tank 20. This tank contains a baffle 32 extending from the upper Wall of this tank downwardly toward the level of the liquid 34 in this tank. This air in the tank 20 consequently passes downwardly and around the bafiie 32 and produces turbulence of the liquid, which enables the air in passing around the baffie to pick up moisture. This humidified air passes upwardly on the other side of the bafiie to a pipe 36 connected with an inlet pipe 38 extending into the interior of the dispenser.

Referring now to the dispenser 18, the humidified air entering the dispenser through the inlet tube or conduit 38 passes to an air distributing device comprising a pluraiity of pipes at extending in a direction lengthwise of the printing plate. These pipes 40 terminate at various distances from the end Walls of the distributor and each pipe is provided with a discharge opening which may be, for example, in the form of a slot 41, FIG. 8. The ends of the tubes are closed by caps or plugs 42 or the like so that all humidified air must pass out through the slots 41. As a result of this construction the humidified air is discharged fromthe pipes 40 at difierent distances lengthwise of the printing plate so that this air will be delivered to the printing plate at different portions thereof lengthwise of the same so that all parts of the plate will receive the desired amount of humidified air.

In order to provide for distribution of humid air to each of the pipes 40, the inlet pipe 38 constitutes a part of a coupling member 43 with which the pipes 40 are con- ,nected and which is rotatably mounted on a wall 44 of the distributor.

The wall of the dispenser has rigidly secured thereto an outwardly extending sleeve 45 within which the coupling member is rotatably mounted. The coupling memher is provided with holes formed therein into which the pipes 40 extend. The outer end of this coupling member is preferably cone shaped to direct the incoming humid air to the inlets of the various pipes 40 secured to the coupling member. The coupling member 43 also has an annular enlargement or flange which bears against the sleeve 45 and the coupling is held in contact with this sleeve by means of a rod48 extending lengthwise of the dispenser and through the opposite wall thereof. The

*end of the rod 48 beyond this wall is threaded to cooperate with a thumb nut 49, thus holding the coupling in place. By turning the coupling about its axis the discharge openings or slots 41 in the pipes may be directed to different portions of the dispenser.

It is desirable to provide for distribution of humid air to the various tubes as may be required by the nature of the printing plate. Some printing plates may have larger areas to be subjected to the humidified air in certain portions of the width thereof than at other portions, so that the pipes 40 terminating adjacent to the portions of the printing plate should receive more humidified air than other pipes. Any suitable means may be provided for effecting this regulation or control of air passing into the pipes 40, and in the construction shown for this purpose the coupling member 38 is provided at the enlarged annular portion 47 thereof with threaded holes adapted to receive adjustable valve members which may be in the form of screws 51 which also extend through openings in the sides of the pipes 40. Consequently these screws can be adjusted to extend to the desired extent within the pipes 40 and thus increase or decrease the amount of humid air entering these pipes.

The humid air discharged into the dispenser is moved crosswise thereof to a suitable screen or perforate baflie 57 extending lengthwise of the dispenser adjacent to the discharge end thereof across the current of humid air to the printing cylinder. This perforated plate further ensures the uniform distribution of humid air to the printing plate mounted on the roll 16.

The humid air after passing through the screen or perforate plate 57 impinges against the printing plate on the cylinder 16 and moisture is taken from this air by the hygroscopic portions of the printing plate while the printing areas on the plate do not absorb moisture from humid air. The remainder of the air passes into a discharge channel or passage 60 which extends along the upper wall of the dispenser and receives air which has impinged against the printing plate. This suction passage 60 prevents air from the dispenser from passing out in the space between the printing roll and the upper wall of the dispenser which air might otherwise enter the press room. No similar suction means are necessary at the lower wall of the dispenser because of the rotation of the press cylinder, as indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 4 and 5, tends to deflect air into the dispenser.

The suction passage or channel 60 extends toward the end of the dispenser remote from the printing roll and enters a series of pipes 61 arranged in a group similar to the pipes 40. These pipes 61 also terminate at their receiving ends at different distances from the ends of the dispenser, and the construction and mounting of these pipes may be substantially identical with the pipes 40. However, the pipes 61 draw in air through the slotted openings in the ends thereof, and this air is withdrawn from the dispenser through a coupling member 62 similar to the coupling member 38, and then by means of the conduit 29 which, as has been stated, conducts this air to the receiving end of the vacuum pump. This air is then again circulated through the tank 20 to pick up additional moisture and back to the dispenser, as has been described.

The liquid in the tank 21 contains certain salts in solution which are picked up by the air in passing through the dispenser. The salt dissolved in the solution in the tank 21 may be lithium bromide, glycerine and a suitable alkaline metal for neutralizing this solution, as well as a water soluble resin, for example as specified in co pending application 790,586 entitled, Oxide Image Printing Plate.

In the construction shown for discharging vapor and salts from this tank 21 into the humid air passing through the dispenser, a pan 65 is provided in the dispenser which contains liquid from the tank 21. This vaporization is effected in such a manner that it can be readily controlled as may be required for any particular printing operation which is being carried on. This tank extends lengthwise of the dispenser parallel to the axis of the printing roll and substantially coextensive in length therewith. Evaporation is accomplished by means of electrically heated rods or heating elements 67 which extend partly into the liquid contained in the pan 65. The evaporating pan 65 in the particular construction shown is provided with three electric heating rods which are preferably arranged between spacing bars 68 of angle-shaped cross section and having their lower ends extending substantially parallel to the bottom of the evaporating pan 65. The ends of these angle shaped bars are welded or otherwise secured to the ends of the pan. The heating rods may be supported above the bottom of the evaporating pan by suitable supports 69, FIG. 7.

We also preferably provide capillary pads in the form of strips arranged between the angle-shaped bars 68 and the heating rods. These capillary members 70 may be made of fiberglass, wool or similar material which is inert to the salt solution contained in the evaporating pan 65, and also free from damage by the temperature of the heating rods. As clearly shown in FIG. 4, these rods extend partly into the liquid in the evaporating pan and the sides of the heating elements are moistened by liquid transmitted through the fiberglass pads. The temperature of the heating rods is such that liquid is readily evaporated thereby, thus providing within the dispenser 18 vapors containing water and particles of the salt and other ingredients of the solution in the evaporating pan.

In order to equally distribute the moisture rising from the heating rods, a screen or perforate plate 72 is provided extending upwardly from the part of the pan adjacent to the pninting cylinder and extending up to the lower wall of the suction passage 60. The vapor arising from the evaporating pan is blown by air from the pipes 40 which blows over the top of the evaporating pan, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 4.

The supply of liquid in the evaporating pan may be maintained in any suitable or desired manner. In the construction shown for this purpose a pump 75 is provided driven by a motor 76, this pump and its motor as well as the suction pump 25 and its motor being mounted on the base 24. The inlet of the pump 75 is connected by a valve controlled pipe 77 to the bottom of the tank 21 and liquid is discharged from the pump 75 through a valve controlled pipe or hose 79 which connects with a pipe 80 extending into the dispenser and terminating near one end of the evaporating pan 65, FIG. 7. The level of liquid in the evaporating pan is maintained by means of an overflow 82 provided in the wall of the evaporating pan. The excess liquid from the evaporating pan flows over the overflow 82 into the bottom of the dispenser from which it is discharged through a pipe 83 connected by means of a hose 84 to the tank 21. Consequently the excess liquid from the evaporating pan flows by gravity into [tank 21 together with any condensate which may have collected in the dispenser. The tank 20 may also discharge liquid through a valve controlled pipe or conduit 81 to the vacuum pump for the usual purpose of forming a seal in this pump.

There is also mounted on the press or in any other suitable location a switchboard 90, FIG. 1, having the usual main switches 91 for supplying current to the various parts of the apparatus. The switchboard also includes a switch 92 for controlling current to the vacuum pump 25 and another switch 93 for controlling current to the pump motor 76. In addition, three separate controls 94 are provided for controlling the supply of current to the three heating rods in the evaporating pan. These controls serve to connect or disconnect any of the heat ing rods from the supply of current so that the amount of vapor generated from the liquid in the evaporating pan may be closely regulated. Also the usual controls are provided for varying the amount of current supplied to at least one of the heating rods, for example by means of a rheostat 96 which controls the supply of current to one of the heating rods 67.

The spaces between the printing plate and the upper and lower walls of the dispenser are regulated by means of adjustable plates mounted on the upper and lower edges of the discharge opening of the housing of the dispenser and clamped into position by any suitable means such, for example, as bolts and thumb nuts 111. This space between the roll and the dispenser of course is also controlled by positioning the dispenser in the desired relation to the printing cylinder 16 by means of a rack and pinion adjusting mechanism 114, FIG. 1.

I have shown in FIGS. and 11 a modified construction for distributing moist air within the dispenser. In this construction each pipe 100 instead of being provided with a slot in the side thereof through which humid air passes into the dispenser, has a hood or nozzle 101 provided at the discharge end thereof and a rotor 102 is provided with outwardly extending vanes or paddles in the path of movement of air into the dispenser. The rotor is freely rotatable and is mounted on the hood 102 so that air discharged from the pipe i100 causes the rotor to revolve and eiiect the distribution of air to various parts of the dispenser and also breaking up any jets of air which would be projected from the ends of the pipes 100 if they were not provided with some air distributing means, such as the nozzle 101 and the rotor 102.

The apparatus is also provided wherever necessary or desired with suitable drain plugs for draining liquid from various parts of the apparatus. For example, a liquid from the evaporating pan may be drained through a pipe 105 controlled by a cock 106. Suitable drain plugs may also be provided at the lower ends of the tanks 20 and 21 and Wherever else they may be needed.

In FIGS. 12 and 13 I have shown another construction by means of which the distribution of humid air to different parts of the dispenser may be regulated. In this construction the pipes 200, which correspond to the pipes 40, are also closed at their ends and have discharge slots 201 in the sides thereof adjacent to the ends of the pipes. A sleeve or tubular control member 203 is telescopically and slidably arranged on each of the pipes 200 to slide over the slots 201 to the desired extent. The pipes 200 are provided at the edges of their slots with notches 202, and the tubular member 203 has on the outer end thereof a finger or projection 204 which may enter into any of the notches 202 to hold this tubular control member releasably in [any position into which it is set.

Control devices similar to those described in connection with the pipes which admit humid air to the dispenser may also be applied to the pipes through which air is discharged from the dispenser if such additional control of air flow in the dispenser is desired.

By means of the construction described a very accurate control of the moisture and salts supplied to any printing plate is obtained. For example, if it is found that the printing plate requires only humid air, the heating rods may be disconnected from the supply of current. If a greater supply of salt is required, this can be eifected by connecting more of the heat-ing rods with the supply of current. The apparatus also has the advantage that it requires the minimum of attention since it is adjusted for the particular printing plate, it may operate continuously without attention except to supply liquid to the tanks 20 and 21.

It will be understood that various changes in the de tails, materials and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, maybe made by those skilled in the art, within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for subjecting a printing press plate having hygroscopic areas and non-hygroscopic printing areas to humidified air and to air containing salt particles, said apparatus including a dispenser comprising a housing having a discharge opening in immediate proximity to said plate, means for supplying humidified air to said dispenser, including an air moving device including a conduit terminating in said dispenser, a coupling member connected with said conduit and extending into the interior of said dispenser, and :a plurality of pipes connected with said coupling member extending in a direction substantially parallel to the printing plate, said pipes being of different lengths to discharge air to dilferent parts of said dispenser.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the ends of said pipes are closed and in which said pipes have slots adjacent to the ends thereof through which air is discharged into said dispenser.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the ends of said pipes are closed and in which said pipes have slots adjacent to the ends thereof through which air is discharged into said dispenser, said coupling being adjustable about its axis to :move said slots of said pipes to different positions relatively to said dispenser.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said coupling member is provided with longitudinally extending holes which receive the ends of said pipes, said coupling member having a passage which is connected with said conduit to conduct humidified air tothe ends of each of said pipes in said coupling member.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 and including means at the ends of said pipes for directing the air discharged from said pipes in a direction transverse of the lengths of said pipes.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 and including nozzles mounted on the ends of said pipes, and freely revolvable rotors mounted on said nozzles and having paddles positioned to be impacted by air discharged from said pipes to dissipate the same to different parts of said dispenser.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 and including a sleeve extending outwardly from said dispenser and in which said coupling member is rotatable, and means for retaining said coupling member against displacement out of said sleeve.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 and including means for varying the discharge of air from each of said pipes.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 and including screws adjustably mounted on said coupling member and having their ends extending into said pipes for controlling the amount of air passing to said pipes.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the ends of said pipes :are closed and in which said pipes have slots adjacent to the ends thereof through which air is discharged into said dispenser, and sleeves extending about said pipes and slidable to cover said slots to the desired extent.

11. Apparatus for subjecting a printing press plate hav ing hygroscopic \areas and non-hygroscopic printing areas to humidified air and to air containing salt particles, said apparatus including a dispenser comprising a housing having a discharge opening in immediate proximity to said plate, means for supplying humidified air to said dispenser, van evaporating pan within said dispenser, a heating rod arranged in said evaporating pan and partly immersed in the liquid contained therein, and a strip of capillary mate rial at a side of said heating rod and extending into the liquid in said pan to conduct liquid to a portion of said rod above the liquid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,178,583 Grembeck Nov. 7, 1939 2,856,848 Pritchard Oct. 21, 1958 2,995,084 Mosegaard Aug. 8, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 333,632 Great Britain Aug. 21, 1930 501,471 Germany July 3, 1930 

1. APPRATUS FOR SUBJECTING A PRINTING PRESS PLATE HAVING HYGROSCOPIC AREAS AND NON-HYGROSCOPIC PRINTING AREAS TO HUMIDIFIED AIR AND TO AIR CONTAINING SALT PARTICLES, SAID APPARATUS INCLUDING A DISPENSER COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING IN IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY TO SAID PLATE, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING HUMIDIFIED AIR TO SAID DISPENSER, INCLUDING AN AIR MOVING DEVICE INCLUDING A CONDUIT TERMINATING IN SAID DISPENSER, A COUPLING MEMBER CONNECTED WITH SAID CONDUIT AND EXTENDING INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID DISPENSER, AND A PLURALITY OF PIPES CONNECTED WITH SAID COUPLING MEMBER EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE PRINTING PLATE, SAID PIPES BEING OF DIFFERENT LENGTHS TO DISCHARGE AIR TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF SAID DISPENSER. 